RICHMOND, Va. — Want to know what happens when Samantha Kanipe (The Richmond Experience) and I get together for coffee? It shouldn’t be a surprise – we talk about Richmond and what’s happening in this real cool river city. So much!!

With the weather changing and some fun “holidays” coming up, these are our must-do events this week.

The two of us are going to reconvene our coffee chat in a couple of weeks and would love suggestions on where and what to talk about – hit my inbox.

Inform

Monday, April 30

It’s beginning to look a lot like pool season. Maybe it’s time to rotate a few “healthier” options onto the grill? Learn a few new recipes and maybe pick up the book at The Truly Healthy Vegetarian Cookbook launch at Ginger Juice. Certified health coach Elizabeth Thomson will be there to sign her book and discuss a little about her healthy eating habits. For healthy advice, juice and swag bags, info here.

Engage

Saturday, May 5

How good are you at the horses? It’s Derby Day and unless you are physically in Kentucky, you should be hitting up a Derby Party for the 144th Kentucky Derby in your best DERBYwear. It’s a see and be seen day and what better place to do it than the Q Rooftop. The Q Rooftop and Marcostyle are featuring featuring a Woodford Reserve* Mint Julep along with a ton of other fun surprises. Five dollars gets you in and a few snacks. Only you can figure out how to win best dressed (maybe butter up Marcostyle, I hear she is judging). More information here.

Marcostyle has offered TWO FREE tickets* to this event. Head over to the CBS 6 Instagram page for details on how you can win.*Craft carefully. Consume responsibly. You must be 21 to enter.

Entertain

Sunday, May 6

“Plant-based people want to party too!” says Keva Miller, the organizer behind Plant BASS’d brunch, and chef/owner of Feedshine, a wellness and lifestyle company. The brunch features a very specific menu with a heavy emphasis on vegetarian and vegan options along with drinks and music, live brass band “Weekend Plans” noon – 2 pp.m. and DJ Ease from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Ticket information here.

Connect

Tuesday, May 1

Bikes and Tacos, those two things go together like peas and carrots. Good thing because It’s Bike Walk RVA 2018 Bike Month and they have planned a taco tour. You can burn off tacos (6 or 7 stops of taco) in a nine mile or a 14 mile option and at the same time, meet some new bike buddies. The tour begins at the VMFA and ends, well, with more tacos at Boka Tako. If you want to taco-bout it with bike friends, here are your deets.

Robey Martin is a food, spirits and culture writer. Currently, she has articles about food and beer (The Beer Sherpa) in Richmond Magazine. Other places you can find her work: Style Weekly, Richmond Times Dispatch, Beer Advocate, Richmond Grid, Tilt.com Chesterfield Observer, Marcostyle.com and Virginia Craft Beer Magazine. She’s never met a potato she didn’t like. Read more articles by Robey, here.